The village was bustling with activity as people went around doing their things. When Morgan and the rest of the group were approaching they expected tribal huts or primitive housing, but the reality was very different.

The log wall alone was very well built with supports, spikes and ditches. It was clear that although it’s looks were simple, it was in fact a carefully thought out construction.

The wall surrounded the village in a big circular ring. Along its perimeter was a ditch about 2 meters deep.

Watchtowers were placed behind it every few hundred meters or so.

There were even guards patrolling it’s perimeters in groups of three.

The gate however, wasn’t as large as the rest. Although, very thick and strong, it’s height was just a bit taller than the doors Morgan had in his own house.

As they walked over the folding bridge across the ditch and crossed the gates, they were amazed at what they saw. What they were met with was not immediately huts and tents, but fully fledged cabin homes. Just like the wall, almost all the buildings were constructed if wood.

This made sense considering how much forest must have been cut down in order to clear up the space for the village and farmland.

That is right, farmland. The wall had been much larger than they expected it to be.

It surrounded not only the village, but also about ten square miles of farmland. It was truly a self contained society.

At the extraordinary sight Morgan could only use one word to describe it.

“Wow.”

As they followed the group of hunter they had met in the forest, the villagers cheered at the sight of the successful hunt. When they then saw the foreigners following the hunters their faces turned to those of curiosity. Morgan, Nestor, Josh, Sarah and Dick became worried at the large crowd which had become to follow them.

“Nestor what do we do? They’re following us.”, Whispered Sarah nervously to Nestor.

“Stay calm. They probably don’t mean any harm. We are the strangers here.” He promptly responded.

From the size of the crowd following them Morgan estimated the village population to be almost 1,000. If the place didn’t look so primitive he would have called it a town.

Finally the hunters stopped and turned towards Morgan’s group. The man whom Nestor shot spoke to them once again in that strange language, and seemed to want them to follow him specifically from now on.

They left the rest of the hunters behind and walked towards the town square. The center of the town was a circular area from which all the roads branched out from. At the center stood a marble statue. It was solid white, so much so it almost seemed to glow. It depicted a beautiful woman with wings shining light down at a battle occurring below. In the warzone were wounded soldiers kneeling towards her, basking in her light, while monsters and others strange creatures laid dead scattered about.

At the base was a sentence written in that once again alien language.

The fact that it stood at the center of the village meant that it held great importance to the people. It was surrounded by vases of flowers and some lit candles.

Across the center facing the statue was the largest building in the town.

It was the only two story building here, and was also the place Morgan and the rest were being led to.

The hunter swordsman let them in through the front doors and signaled them to wait. They stood silent as he left up the statue to get who knows what. When he finally returned he was accompanied by an older looking gentleman.

If not for the fact he wore a full suit of armor and carried a spear Morgan would have guessed he would be at a retirement home.

He had white long hair and a full beard. His eyes were blue and his skin was much lighter than most of the villagers and he seemed more formal. He was also taller than the rest at almost 6” 6’.

The man approached them with steady analyzing eyes and wide smile. He turned to Nestor and spoke a few words to him. He frowned at Nestor's confused face until the hunter who brought him spoke to him.

He was likely informing the man that they did not speak their language.

After what seemed like hours of playing charades Nestor and the man were able to come out with some basic communication. It seemed that he meant them no harms and would be willing to let them stay if they worked in the village.

Nestor and the rest still had many questions about where they were and what was going on, but that level of communication was still beyond their capabilities.

What they did find out was each other’s names. The man was named Igor and the hunter Raac.

It seemed the village was preparing for expansion as there were multiple newly built cabins at the outskirts ready for occupation. Morgan and the rest chose the largest cabin that had four rooms.

Nestor, Dick, and Sarah would get their own rooms while Morgan and Josh would share the largest one.

Thecabin might have been the biggest available, but it wasn’t all that large. Each room was barely large enough to fit a small bed and a small cabinet.

Morgan a Josh looked at the single bed.

“I’m sorry bro, but I ain’t gonna sleep in the same bed as you. I’ll take the floor.” Said Morgan.

Josh responded, “Yeah alright. How about we just switch who gets the bed each night?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Soon after they settled in Raac came back and once again beckoned them to follow him. When they did they found that the village held dinner together at sunset. Men and children were lined up with wooden plates ready to receive food from the hundreds of women and wives preparing it.

Portable benches were brought in from somewhere and the whole village sat and spoke to each other like one big happy family.

The atmosphere was great and all, but Morgan could only focus on one thing, the food. It seems they had cooked the deer from earlier. He could smell the succulent meat and wanted to run over and pounce on it. However, he held himself back. His mouth watering at the thought of the upcoming meal.

The others were the same licking their lips, mouths open and practically drooling.

Raac soon returned with plates, which he handed to them and led them to the shortest line.

Their starvation from the past days was clearly apparent with their famished skeletal looking bodies.

The villagers took notice to that and kindly let them pass in front of the line. They also served them extra food and stacked their plates high. It seemed word had spread that they were joining, and the people were very accepting of their new found brethren.

The villagers kindness had touched their heart. Once they sat down Sarah was the first to cry, followed by Josh, Morgan, Dick and Nestor. Their nightmare was over. Even though they haven’t returned home, or know where they are, they had a home, they had food. They were alive.

They ate their fill. Actually beyond what they should have. After having starved for so long their stomachs weren’t used to food anymore. They had aches and pain, but it was a lot better than the constant sense of starvation and death they faced before.

At late night they wandered back to their cabin and fell asleep on their straw filled beds.

The first true sleep they had where they didn't fell the cold grip of death.